Extremadura deer rutting season offers wildlife viewing opportunities

The deer rutting season, known as 'la berrea', occurs in Extremadura between mid-September and October. During this period, male deer make loud bellows to attract females and establish dominance over rivals, sometimes resulting in physical confrontations.

The Cijara Regional Hunting Reserve in northeast Badajoz, located within the La Siberia Biosphere Reserve, is highlighted as a premier location for observing this phenomenon. Spanning approximately 25,000 hectares across municipalities such as Helechosa de los Montes and Fuenlabrada de los Montes, the area features diverse habitats including holm oak and cork oak forests, pine groves, and Mediterranean scrubland.

Visitors can observe the wildlife from the Valdemoros observatory in Fuenlabrada de los Montes, which provides an elevated wooden tower for viewing from a distance. The region also offers various hiking routes, such as La Muela and El Sotillo, to complement wildlife watching.